The Ultimate Guide - Questions to Ask Before you Hire your Caterer!

If you have met Adam & I, you know… We love food! If you are looking for a specific type of food, we can usually tell you about a place and if you are open to anything, well… We can give those too!

With both of us having a decent background in catering, its always a priority for us to make sure our couples are asking all the key questions when scouting a caterer as to make sure things don’t get left out. We thought we would make a list, so the next time you are on the search, we got your back!

In the last blog, we talked about the different types of catering options most venues offer. Did you read that one? If not, you can read that (here). Today, its all about those hard hitting questions that you may not have thought about. So if you are interested in questions to ask your caterer, just keep reading!

1.      What is your food & Beverage minimums?

Most (not all) caterers will have an F&B minimum. This is usually the lowest dollar amount that you will have to spend in order to use their catering services. Depending on the venue and caterer, this can range from $1000-$15000.

Some things to note about food and beverage minimums…

Some places may offer a lower f&b minimum on a Weekday, Friday or Sunday. Be aware that yes, the minimum might be lowered, but if you are having 300 guests and the food menu prices are the same as always, that minimum is not going to matter. Most places are not changing the menu price, so the only time a lower f&b minimum actually benefits people is when they have a smaller guest count and might want a certain venue.

For example…

A Golf Course might have a discounted f&b minimum on a Friday. Originally $10,000 but they lowered it to $7000 for appeal. Their base meal starts at $42 per plate and you have 250 guests. It doesn’t matter what the f&b minimum is, you are still paying over $10,000.

If you want a killer space like the Machine Shop and you have a smaller guest count, this is when a lower f&b minimum can actually help you. If they give a discount for Thursday weddings and you have 150 guests, this can save you from having to be stuck with a $10,000 minimum.

It is also a good thing to ask what is all included in the minimums. Sometimes it is everything that you are quoted on. Sometimes it is strictly food & beverage. Any additional fees like servers, bartenders, chefs, linens.. Those are not included in the minimum. Again, this differs between caterers so its always a good idea to ask.

2.      Do you provide linens, and napkins?

If they do provide linens, make sure the size will match the size of the tables at the venue. Typically if the caterer provides and sets up the linens, this will happen two hours prior to the reception start time, or during the social hour if the space needs to be flipped. If possible, ask the caterer if you can pick up the linens the week of the wedding. This is where we come in, we will pick them up and set them up for you so that we can get the center pieces set up as well. (always have to plug our services in somewhere)

3. Do you provide glassware, plates and utensils?

Every caterer is different, some only provide plastics, some provide compostable, and other provide glass china. It is important to know which is going to be provided, because you can never assume they are bringing china.

Also, we personally love plastic and compostable for weddings! There are tons of options to make it fun and easy!

4. What is your server fee and how many servers would we have?

I used to have people that wanted to save money anywhere they could, and they would ask if we could take a few servers away. My advice, listen to your catering contact and do what they advise. Without the correct number of servers, this slows down the entire process and makes it stressful on the other catering staff and vendors. Servers are a vital part of any well functioning wedding!

5.      What is the service charge and does any of that go to the server gratuity?

Often the service charge (generally 18%-25%) goes to administrative fees. Sometimes a portion of that goes to the servers as a gratuity.

6.    What is the average cost per person?

There is going to be the per plate charge. But that doesn’t include appetizers and then when you divvy up all the additional fees, you should be left with an over all “per person” price.

7.      What are some of your favorite dishes?

I was very honest when I was in catering. If there was something I didn’t like on the menu, I would explain what I didn’t like about a certain dish, but I would also encourage them to try it for themselves so that they could determine if they liked it. Everyone has different tastes and visions when it comes to their wedding dinner.

photo Sea Circus Weddings | Desserts Thirsty Whale Bakery

Rachel Elle Photography

When it comes to appetizers, this is where you want to get real answers from your caterer. There are some options that seem innovated and delicious, but they might not hold up well for your venue.

8.     Do you have cake cutting fees?

I would say, 99% of caterers are going to have a fee to cut and serve your cake.

“But I am not doing cake, I am doing xyz…”

Does “xyz” need plates, napkins, silverware? Does it need to be set up and maintained? Then there will be a fee. I don’t blame them; it is an overhead cost that they need to cover. But when they spit out a number like $2 per person, it can be a little shocking.

9.      What do you do with left over food?

 I personally don’t like to ask this question because, Per health codes, the caterers are required to dispose of all food. You can ask if they use pig buckets. Honestly, I have never worked at a place where it was ok to package up food at the end of the night. So, while it never hurts to ask if you can take home any left overs or if it can be donated. Don’t be surprised when they say no. I wouldn’t even ask, but there are some smaller mom & pop shops that might allow it.

10.      Never ask if you can take the tapped keg home at the end of the night either.

If you are providing your own booze, then sure, take it home. But if you are getting married at a venue that is providing the alcohol, you will not be able to take any of that home.

Story time…. I once had a drunk bride at the end of the night get very upset with me because she couldn’t bring her have tapped keg home.

Rachel Elle Photo

11.  Will you set up a water station?

While its classy to have water glasses on the tables, it never hurts to have water stations set up as well. Esp. during the social hour. You don’t want to have your guests wait in line at the bar just to grab a water. Nor should they have to pay for a water when the bar or catering can easily set up a station.

12.   Does bar service go through you?

Sometimes they require bar service go through them, and other times, you can look into other options. There are tons of bar options now, so it is nice to have options!

The pros to having catering handle bar service – That will go towards your food and beverage minimum.

The cons – You are stuck with their prices.

Photo by Heather Hanson | Bar Service | With a Twist

13.  What are the bar options?

Do they take care of the bar? Or will you have to find outside bar service?

Do you have to host the bar? Can you have a cash bar? Do cash bar sales go towards the f&b minimum? Can you do a split – Hosting the bar for the first few hours and switch to cash bar?

14.   How many bartenders will there be?

 I would always suggest 1 per 75 adults.

15.   Do we have to get desserts from you?

Its nice when your caterer is a Rock star at desserts as well. But its also nice to have options. Most caterers will allow an outside licensed vendor to provide desserts.

16.   Do you offer coffee & Tea? Table side or Station?

-        I always prefer stations for coffee and tea. That way, people can get up and mingle, it is less clutter on the tables and it eliminates the waste when there are carafes of coffee on all the tables, some guest might not want any. Some guests might want more than one cup. If you have a station, you get to please everyone.

17. How many events do you do in a night?

Some catering companies are huge and they work events all over the state. The last company I worked for was the biggest catering company in the area and they serviced some of the the most amazing venues out there. They would service as many events in one day as possible, because they could. Smaller caterers might only service 1 - 2 weddings a day. This is why you shouldn’t wait until 3 months out (I have seen it) to choose your caterer.

Another question to ask is what their backup plan is when they are short staffed, we have noticed that with all of the weddings moving from last year to this year, catering companies are seeing it with being short staffed. You want to make sure that doesn’t effect your event.

18. Do you cook the food on-site or off-site?

Also, its always good to know where the food will be prepared. Some venues don’t have kitchen spaces, so they set up makeshift kitchens and work from hot boxes and warmers. I know from experience that this is a totally normal way of serving food and it has always worked for me in the past.

19. How many servers stay till the end of the event? Will they clear dishes and bar glasses?

Some catering staff leave right after the dinner service, leaving you and your guests the responsibility to clean everything up! This happens more often then not, so it never hurts to pay extra for the staff to stay till the end. Usually you only need 2 people. We never recommend just assuming your guests will throw pick up their mess, because we have seen it week after week, and we can tell you it rarely happens!

I think we will leave it at that. This is a pretty decent list for you to start out with, and if at any time you are looking into catering and have random questions, we are always around to give you advice and help you along the way! Stay tuned for the final series to the catering blog, where we talk about the different types of dinners you can have at your reception!

Cheers!

What Catering Does Your Venue Offer? A Blog about Catering...

Photo Eileen K

Eat! Drink! & Be Married! Food is the foundation to any good event, a wedding is no different!

Let’s be real, it is usually what guests are most excited about, besides the bar and watching their cool humans tie the knot. Catering can be confusing, but we are here to break it down for you! We have decided to do a series that dives into catering. Today, we are breaking the venue catering options.

We often have clients that are a little shell shocked by catering prices. They might have unrealistic expectations, or they might just be unaware of all the extra costs that come with catering, but I know from experience, catering tends to be quite a big chuck of your budget, think 30-50% of your budget can go towards the catering. When you are going through the process of choosing vendors, it’s important to choose a venue first. Wedding Venues will usually have one of four options for their clients when it comes to catering. In-House, Catering List, Exclusive caterer, or Open Catering. We wanted to go over those options more in-depth, give you some pros and cons to all of them, so that you can better understand what they are talking about when you start your venue/catering search! If you need help, or just a general idea where to start, just keep reading!

Photographer: Shane Long | Minneapolis Wedding Venue : The Beach Club

In-House – This is where venues provide the catering with rental of the space.

When we think of in-house catering we think of establishments that are not just venues to hold events, my idea of in-house consists of hotels, golf clubs, country clubs, restaurants (just to name a few) they will most likely have an in-house kitchen that does the catering.

Pros:

•   You don’t have to go through the process of emailing a million caterers.

• They have kitchens on-site with a chef on-site. If you need to store flowers or cake in the coolers, there is usually not a problem with that, and having a full kitchen is HUGE!

• Having an in-house kitchen, and chef means that they are dedicated to you and your event. Your food will be made on-site and most of the time, not sitting in a hot box for an hour. (While I say most of the time, I always suggest ask how they prep the food because you never know if they pre-cook and have food sit in a hot box till dinner service, its always better to ask.)

• Most provide tables, linens, china & glassware and service staff included in the pricing.

Cons

• You are limited to that specific caterer. The menu is going to be basic and and food is going to be your typical wedding food. While these in-house caterers might be willing to do custom options, if you have a certain taste in mind, it might not be what you are hoping for.

Photo Ester Knowlen | The Machine Shop

Clewell photography

Exclusive Caterer – Some venues may use an exclusive caterer, think of Bavaria Downs, Nicollet Island Pavilion, or Mississippi Gardens, just to name a few. These venues have a catering company that they work exclusively with and they either have a kitchen on-site that they work out of, or they may prepare the food off-site at the catering company and deliver it to the venue.

Pros-

• Having an exclusive caterer means it is their space and they are familiar with the space. This is huge because they are the only caterer that works at this space and they take pride in the weddings there.

• They may be more open to creating custom menu options for you.

• They are well versed in the space, they know the best layout options and they usually have a specific person working that space.

Cons-

• Just like having in-house catering, an exclusive caterer means you do not get to choose that caterer. They might be out of your price range, so you will have to look at adjusting your budget.

• They may be the exclusive caterer for that venue, but that does not mean they have a full kitchen at the venue. It’s always nice to know how & where the food is going to be prepared.

Catering List – Some venues will offer a catering list, this is a list of vendors that are approved by the venue to cater there. Some venues have a wide variety of caterers, like Three Rivers Park District, There catering list has almost 20 caterers on it, ensuring you will be able to find someone you love. Some only have maybe 3-8, and that could be because they don’t want to overwhelm people with caterers, or they want to set a certain tone for their venue.

Pros-

• Having a preferred catering list means that these caterers are familiar with the venue and have worked there at least once. They will know their way around the property and will be seasoned in catering the space.

• This gives you options when choosing a caterer, you can be more creative and you can find one that fits your budget.

Cons-

•   While I just stated that with a catering list, you will be able to find someone that you’re your budget, that is not always the case, sometimes, there are not any caterers on the list that fit into your budget, so if you don’t check around with the catering companies prior to signing contract with the venue, you might be stuck picking a caterer off a list that is far out of your price range.

• You are most likely going to have to pay extra for staffing, linens, glassware and silverware. In our next topic we talk all about the hidden costs that you have to look at when hiring a caterer.

• When there is a preferred catering list, there might not be a lot of ethnic options to choose from. Sometimes the catering company will work with you to create a custom option, but this is something you always have to make sure of when hiring them.  I will be real here, if you are having a catering company work with another catering company to co-create an ethnic menu, it is always going to cost way more than you think it is.

Open Catering – This is when the venue does not have a required catering list, They just have to be licensed. This leaves the option open to any catering company out there.

Pros-

•   Your options are endless, you can do food truck, catering, pizza, tacos, BBQ, whatever you choose! An open catering list, ensures that you will find a caterer that fits your budget.

•    Most catering companies will be willing to work with custom options.

• This gives smaller catering companies the opportunity to work weddings. We are all about supporting other small businesses!

Clewell Photography

Cons-

• Your options are endless! While this sounds appealing, if you are one of those people who can not make up their damn mind… There might be too many options for you to make a choice.

• The catering company might not be familiar with the space. This shouldn’t be an issue because any good caterer is going to familiarize themselves before the event. It is just always something you want to communicate with them prior.

•   These spaces don’t tend to have kitchens for the caterer to work out of, most companies are equipped with everything they need to work with no kitchen, it just takes proper planning.

•   Again, we will mention, linens, glassware, china and silverware, just make sure to see what the costs are.

Our intention is for every couple to have a stress free time planning their wedding. Catering can be a topic that seems overwhelming, but our goal of breaking theses out into a series is to educate you so that you go into the planning process like a rock star! Want additional help, Contact us! We work with some of the best catering companies around, and we would love to help you in your planning venture, food is our jam and we enjoy chatting with couples (usually centered around pancakes!)

Somethings to keep in mind when starting It is always important to figure out what is most important to the both of you and start from there. If you are dreaming of getting married at your family’s country club, then you probably are not even thinking about what the catering options are going to be, because you know that this is your venue and the rest will work its self out. That is awesome! It alleviates so much stress and we are all for it!

Photo Brian Bossany

On the other hand, if you have a smaller budget and you want to get married at a fancy historical venue that is currently all the rage, but their catering only offers high end catering options, you might not be able to realistically make that work for you. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a unique and creative wedding, it just means you have to look at alternative options (This is where we come handy).

We are always here to offer advice and give you lists of some of our favorites to work at! So, if you read this and still have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Stay tuned for part 2 where we talk about all the questions you should be asking your caterer and hidden fees to watch out for!

 Namaste friends!

Yay you are engaged! 8 Things to do RIGHT After You Get Engaged!

Image Ryan Stadler

Are you enjoying that newly engaged life? I don’t know about you, but getting engaged is one of the most exciting moments in two peoples lives! We LOVE hearing proposal stories, and get teary eyed listening to all of them! You may or may not have been dreaming of this day your whole life, it is extremely exciting and somewhat overwhelming! Once you get over that initial “Holy shit I am engaged” feeling out of the way, the “Oh shit, we need to plan a wedding” starts to settle in.

We know that it can be a little stressful, people will INSTANTLY start asking what the plans are, as if, just because it happened 3 days ago, automatically you have everything planned… (WTF is with that anyways? Can we all collectively start a PSA for newly engaged couples, that it is OK to not have EVERYTHING planned right out the gate.)

Being wedding planners, we have a mental list of things that need to get done right away and we want those newly engaged vibes to last as long as possible for you, so we came up with a list of what you should focus on when you first get engaged. Need more help? We have tons of informational blogs for you to check out right here!

Photo Credit : @lahzehphotography

“Engagement Season” That time in-between Thanksgiving and Valentines Day where all the people get engaged! A romantic time of year, filled with family, friends and fun!

But we also know that it can be insanely overwhelming, and you may not know where to begin the process of planning a wedding. Which vendors do you need to book right away? Which vendors can wait a couple months? Who the hell is paying for this thing? Do I need a dress right now? Don’t fear! This is list is here to help and hopefully alleviate some of that initial stress!

1. Enjoy being engaged for a little bit!

Let’s start with the ENGAGED part! This is your permission slip to take some time and just enjoy it. Get some cute balloons that say “Engaged AF” or something fun! This is a very big time for you both, you have taken the first step in solidifying your relationship, and it needs to be celebrated! Shout it from the roof top! Tell parents, family, friends, co-workers, EVERYONE! Take that perfect ring selfie and post it on all of your socials because it is time to celebrate! (We always suggest telling important people before blasting it on social media!)

Photo The Hawk and Sparrow

Added Tip: You will instantly be asked a million questions, a good piece of advice is to just say “We are enjoying the engagement right now. We will focus on the other stuff in a few weeks.

2. Get your ring insured and Get a Decoy for Travel!

This is just a simple reminder, that thing is sparkly and expensive and can easily slip off your finger super easy! Don’t wait, jump right in and get that little baby insured!

We love the idea of getting a cheap knockoff from Amazon as well if you plan on doing any travel!

3. Create a “Wedding ONLY” Email address.

We enjoy Gmail, but it is really up to your preference. You can make it easy like kellyandjonwed21@gmail.com or you can creative like turningtoff20@gmail.com. You can both have access to this email and it will keep everything wedding related organized to this email address!

4.   Get together with your partner and start talking about the visions you BOTH have on your wedding day!

• Choose your top 3 or 4 MUST HAVES! Come up with elements of the day that are important to you both! This could be Venue, photography, floral, maybe you really want a killer DJ, but start to think about what elements are important to you!

• Think about weddings you two have been to in the past… What did you remember or love about those weddings? Also think about the things you didn’t like at those weddings, sometimes that is even more important, the things to avoid!

• Picking a date - How long do you want to be engaged? When do you both envision the wedding being?  If you get engaged in December and you want a summer wedding, you may have to push it out a year, otherwise you are looking at a 6-8 month engagement, and it might be difficult to find vendors. If you want a Fall wedding, those are becoming more and more popular, so again, finding vendors and especially a venue could be tricky. Pro Tip… Typical weddings are being planned 12 - 16 months out…

• Discuss how involved both of you will plan on being during the engagement process. Does this all make you both stressed and overwhelmed, read number 5 and think about hiring some help!

• Guest List! You might have to wait till you meet with parents to come up with a finalized guest list, but coming up with a general idea of how many people you want there will help when telling parents how many of their people they can invite. Having a max guest count can also help with the venue search!

• Style of wedding - Classic, Vintage, Boho, Rustic, Elegant, Bold, Neutral, Simple. Whatever style you may want to have, we believe it is important for both to have design elements in the wedding that represent the both of you. You can have touches that represent you both individually as well as a partnership.  (Pinterest is great for both guys and gals, talk to your man about just looking through so that he can get a better idea on his vision)

• Start researching (not touring) venues around the area, there are so many different styles when it comes to venues, so first just start looking at types of venues that are out there and see what style you want. Don’t hop right into tours until you have budget, venues around Minneapolis can be expensive AF, you don’ t want to tour one, fall in love and realize there is no way you could ever spend that much money. Its better to get your budget in check and a general idea on guest count figured out, otherwise you will be going tours with no purpose.

5. Hire a Wedding Coordinator or Wedding Planner & start getting organized!

Every wedding needs a wedding coordinator at the MINIMUM to be there to make sure your day runs smoothly, which is why we offer wedding management (it’s like the new version of day of coordinator). For the busy couples, we also offer full service and partial planning, to help them with the wedding work load. The benefit of a planner are endless, but we are not here to bore you with all the details, once you are ready to dive into planning, hiring someone early on can not only save you money, we often come with great planning resources and vendor recommendations, all which can take away hours of stress!

Maybe you start planning and think a wedding planner is more of what you need by your side, you can learn all about that and other packages we offer (here)!

A wedding planning might not be in your budget, if you choose to forego the planner, our biggest piece of advice is to get organized! Spreadsheets and to - do lists are so important to help you stay on track!

Rachel L Photos

6.      Have a meeting with your parents to discuss guest list & budget.

Now that you and your partner have discussed your dream wedding vision, it is time to meet with the parents and get their visions. Some parents want to be super involved, while others may not. It’s important to talk with them, let them know your thoughts and to make sure they understand that it is your wedding and you want them to enjoy it as well. The big factors to discuss with parents are guest list and budget.

                           I.         Who does everyone want at the wedding? You should have both sets of parents make their lists, combine those with your lists and then create an A, B & sometimes C category. If your parents are pitching in, they should have a say in guest list, but this can be a slippery slope and if it’s the two of you paying and you are on a tight budget, while it may be uncomfortable, you will have to discuss that with them. We hear all the time, parents want all of their friends and co-workers there to celebrate with, and while that is great, remind them, there is a budget and the venue will have a max capacity. A rule of thumb I love to recommend is, if you or your partner have never met the person, they do not get an invite.

                          II.    Who is going to pay for the wedding? This is never a fun subject, but it needs to be done. Will you guys be saving up? Will the brides parents be paying? Will it be a collaborative effort? If so, get a clear understanding on who is contributing how much. I can not tell you how many times a couple has came to us and said “Well I think my parents will probably throw us $5000?” Come to find out, they are only planning on giving them $1000 or only paying for the food. Sometimes you need to educate them on how expensive its going to be & let them discuss what they are comfortable with contributing. Having this conversation will alleviate a ton of stress to just get it all out in the open.      

7.      Now is the time to start an in-depth venue search and schedule some tours.

Budget & guest list in mind, now its time for our favorite part of planning… VENUE TOURS! Compile a list of venues you really want to see and start making appointments. There are so many unique and fun venues out there and we love researching and touring them! If you are not like us, this stage can stress people out, because good lord there are so many venues in the area, you have hotel ballrooms, industrial & historic warehouses, classic estates, mansions, barns, farms, parks, gardens, ski chalets, breweries, restaurants, theaters, those are some off the top of my head, of course there are many more! We suggest touring many different styles not just 1 that you saw on Pinterest. Get a feel for the different styles out there, you may surprise yourself! Be open minded to styles, and think about your overall vision.

Here is a small list of initial things you can ask your venue consultant:   

o   Do they require In-house catering or can you use outside catering? You can learn more about the kind of catering your venue offers by clicking here.

o   What is the food and beverage minimum? You can learn more about what to ask your caterer by clicking here.

Photo Baurer Creative

o   Tables, chairs included? Who sets them up if the room needs to be flipped? Is there a fee involved in flipping the room?

o   Do they have a separate ceremony spot?

o   If the ceremony is outside, what is a rain backup?

o   Are table Linens and napkins included? If so, are they floor length? Do you get a choice of colors?

o   What is the House fee/ Service charge? Does that include gratuity for the staff?

o   Is staff included?

o   Are there any other charges that get added on to the rental fee?

o   Is there an event coordinator included – If yes. What exactly will they do for you the day of?

We have an in-depth blog on what to ask during venue tours (here)!

8.  Hiring Other Vendors!

Brynn Wheatly Photography

DJ - Josh Taylor with Super Good DJ’s

You have your budget, guest list and vision in place, now is time to start looking at the other vendors that make the wedding a reality. Depending on how long your engagement will be, most of your vendors, don’t have to be booked right away, but there are a few that book out faster than others. 2022 is the year of the wedding boom, there is no denying that, we are seeing vendors book up faster than years before, so you use to be able to wait to book your vendors, but now, it’s common to see them book out 1.5 years in advance! That’s not to say there are not tons of quality vendors out there, we are just saying if you are dying to have someone as your vendor, don’t wait to book them! No matter what someone’s list says!

Not listed is a planner / coordinator, which you have already booked because of tip #5 ;)

                          1.    Venue! The venue is the most important, you can’ not solidify any other vendors until you know that your venue is available for that day!

2. If you getting married at a church, this falls in line with venue, they should be booked together!

3. Photographer because they book out fast!

4. Dress! Your dress will take a while to get made and come in, so if you get engaged and are looking to have a wedding in less than 6 months, finding your dream dress is so important! There are so many boutique wedding shops out there, so don’t limit yourself to the big places!

5. Catering! If your venue does not come with catering, you should lock one in a few months after you book that venue!

A short list of other vendors that you should start booking 10 months out (the standard use to be 8-9 months out, but we are starting to see these book out earlier than in years past)

Hair & Makeup, floral, DJ / Band, Officiant, Stationary, Desserts, Hotel Blocks, Transportation! Again, if you love a certain vendor, don’t wait!

We want couples to enjoy every minute of their engagement! This is just a short list of what to get started on after the big day, if you need more help, feel free to contact us! We love sitting down for FREE consultations, we can brain storm, eat some pancakes, give advice, and have some fun!

Make sure to check out our Amazon Storefront to see our favorite wedding stuff you can get off Amazon!

Congratulations and Cheers!

Advice: Tips for Having an Easy Breezy Wedding Day!

Photo by Natalie Ray

The day is here, cue the happy tears! All of the hard work, late nights, planning, and hard work towards this day and now its here! Weddings are my favorite type of event for so many reasons but the number one is, you have all of your favorite people in one room and their purpose for being there is to celebrate the love you have with your best friend. IT’S THE BEST! Throughout my years as an event coordinator, I have learned that there are a few things that are a MUST to remaining calm on your wedding day. Read on to see some tips I have to make your day as stress free as can be.

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1. Get a Good Night Sleep!

It is the day before, your nerves are on HIGH, you are putting together the finishing touches. Nail appointments, last minute packing, phone calls, it gets to be a busy day. Typically, you will have your rehearsal ceremony and rehearsal dinner. Once its all done, you are exhausted, and you have to have the biggest day of your life in just a few short hours.

When you finish up with your rehearsal & rehearsal dinner, it is okay to be selfish and try to get to bed early. The time for celebrating is tomorrow.

2. Make sure EVERYONE has a timeline.

Grandma, Aunt Kathy, your vendors, your wedding party. All of them need to have timelines. I love making timelines and I think they are CRUCIAL for everything running smooth. There are 3 versions of timelines that are helpful

• Wedding Party & Family Timeline - I like to start this timeline when the wedding activities start, so if Thursday or Friday you are starting with getting your nails done, have that on the timeline. Give this one to family as well that need to be at the rehearsal dinner and photos the day of.

• Having a timeline for vendors will help them know when other vendors are arriving and they have an idea on how the day is planned out.

• Timeline for guests, this is more simplified, letting guests know what time the ceremony, social hour and dinner starts. Some add extras such as, when they are cutting cake, when the first dance is, or when late night snacks come out, if the couple is planning a special send off, that could be on there as well.

3. Make Sure Everyone Gets Ready Before the Bride.

Moms, Grandmas, flower girls, bridesmaids. Everyone should get hair, makeup and dresses on before you. This is done for a number of reasons but the main, photos, but also, you don’t want to sit around all day in makeup and that big ass dress! Your bridesmaids are going to be in photos helping you get dressed, or maybe you are doing a big reveal to them? You want them looking just as amazing as you are right!?! Well maybe not JUST as amazing, you are the bride. :)

4. Stay Fed & Hydrated!

This might sound obvious, but when I am nervous, I feel like I can’t eat. I feel that is the case for most brides, but its a non-negotiable, EAT! Get breakfast in you, get some coffee in you and keep it going through out the day! Snacks and water will help you stay level headed and really give you the chance to enjoy your day!

I always encourage my brides to eat a well rounded breakfast! (Healthy fats make your brain happy) But also stay hydrated and fueled throughout the whole day!

We always run apps out to you during your social hour, but if you don’t have someone like us by your side, make sure someone is getting you those yummy apps!

Extra Tip

Ask your caterer to keep some appetizers on the side for you & your hunny. If your wedding party is not going to be at the social hour, make sure to ask them to hold back for the wedding party as well, otherwise, you will not get to enjoy any those apps that you loved and paid for.

5. Emergency Kit

They sell these tiny, cute, novelty “Fit in your purse” size emergency kits at fancy boutiques and Target, DON’T GET THOSE. Make sure someone is packing a real, survival skilled emergency kit. Thread, needles, safety pins, stain remover, wet wipes, make up, static guard, hair spray (the list goes on) As a planner, we have a huge tackle box that comes with us at all times! Make sure you have it all and that you have someone making sure it comes everywhere with you. You don’t want to have it at the reception space when you need it at the ceremony.

Photo by Savannah Kay

6. Delegating Tasks

This one is for all those control freaks out there (I mean freak in the sweetest way)

There are a million and 2 things to do on a wedding day, and the couple should not have to worry about ANY of it! My favorite part of my job is when a couple gives up complete control and just lets other people take care of the little details & tasks. The couple has the only task of getting married and getting their party on. They get to show up at their wedding venue and get teary eyed when they walk in and everything is perfection. For this reason, delegation is so huge to me! Now if you have hired a planner (raises hand) then they will take care of all of the little stuff for you, but if you do not decide on the planner route, enlisting in family and friends can be a big help!

Here is a shrunken down list of what the couple needs help with

• Assisting the couple through out the day

• Assisting with the ceremony, making sure the wedding party is lined up and ready to go!

• Make sure the ceremony starts on time

• Keep track of marriage licenses

• Moving floral and decor from ceremony to reception

• Setting up the escort card table

• Setting up the gift & memory table

• Setting up center pieces & lighting candles

• Putting on chair covers

• Wrangling family for photos (make sure the wrangler knows everyone so they know who they are looking for)

• Directing & managing vendors

• Handing out tip envelopes to vendors

• Getting everyone in place for the Grand March

• Cuing the Speeches & first dances

• Taking decor down at the end of the night

• Making sure the gifts and cards get into a responsible persons car at the end of the night

7. Make time for each other

Photography Angelia Divine Photography

This is your big day together, soak it all in! Sneak away if only for 5 minutes after the ceremony and have some alone time! Talk about your favorite moments from the ceremony, kiss, dance around (you just got married!) just be present in the moment & take time to let all the emotions sink in.

8. Have everything needed for the day packed and ready to go a week out!

Some say the day before, but I am a planner and I like all my stuff taken care of ahead of time!

Marriage certificate is in a secure spot, and someone is in charge of it. Make sure you have tip envelops ready, clothes for after the wedding night and honey moon are packed. All the decor is placed in totes & boxes. Make sure they are clearly labeled (What is in there and where it needs to go), this will help make those last few days less stressful & less of a chance you forgetting something.

Photographer Lauren Baker Photography

Pro Tip!

If you want some of those Pinterest worthy detail shots, make sure you have those packed up in a shoe box.

• A copy of your invitation suite

• A cute ring box

• Shoes

• Jewelry

• Little accents like a ring dish or ribbons

• Perfume bottle

Photographer Ester Knowlen Photography

9. Backup Plans in Place!

If you are reading this in Minnesota, you know that the weather can change on the drop of a dime! Don’t let that derail you from having an outdoor ceremony or wedding. That being said, don’t get overwhelmed with the thought of something coming up on your big day as well. Have a rain plan, a tent, pavilion, or an indoor option is always key! Making sure that is in place and keep in mind that rain does not ruin your day, its good luck!

Photo by Charise Healy

10. Don’t freak out over small mishaps.

The day has come and it is time to enjoy it! All of the backups, planning & prep in the world can not guarantee that things will be perfect, and that is OK. Things might come up, but staying calm & remaining flexible will allow you to roll with the punches & take in all of the memories of this special day!

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That seems like a lot I know, but it does not have to be so overwhelming; investing in a Day of Coordinator / Wedding Planner can take care of most of these tasks and MORE! Our job & passion is to take the worry off of the couple and give them full rein to do nothing but enjoy their day! If you would like insight on pricing through us, you can reach out by clicking down below! If you don’t feel like a DOC is for you but you need some more tips and advice, we can do that too! Whatever you choose, I truly just hope you breath and take it all in and enjoy the best day ever!